Transgender Equality

The National Transgender Discrimination Survey [NTDS] measured transgender experiences of discrimination. The survey results showed that transgender people faced bias that affects all areas of life. However, one of the most important findings was that the combination of anti-transgender bias with structural and individual racism meant that transgender people of color experience particularly devastating levels of discrimination. Among them, Black transgender people often reported the highest levels of discrimination.

That is why the National Black Justice Coalition is proud to partner with the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, who collected the data through the NTDS, to offer this report on discrimination against Black transgender people. As America's leading national Black LGBT civil rights organization, the National Black Justice Coalition envisions a world where all people are fully-empowered to participate safely, openly and honestly in family, faith and community, regardless of gender identity and sexual orientation.

The information in this report is based on the experiences of the 381 respondents who were Black or Black multiracial. When this report uses the phrase, "due to bias," it refers to the questions on the survey that asked about respondents' experiences of anti-transgender bias, but the results also show the complex interactions of that bias with race and socio-economic status.

Key Findings:

34% of the Black Transgender community reported a household income of less than $10,000/year.

21% of Black transgender people reported being refused medical care due to bias

41% of Black respondents said that they had experienced homelessness at some point in their lives. Of those who had experienced homelessness, many tried to access shelters but were denied access altogether (40%) or experienced harassment (61%), physical assault (32%), or sexual assault (31%) at the shelter.

Transgender Advisory Council

In recognition of opportunities to stand with and better support the Black transgender community, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) has established a transgender advisory council to strengthen individual and collective efforts to address the unique needs of Black people of trans experience. The primary goals of NBJC’s Black Transgender Advisory Council are to: 1) advise NBJC on ways to best support the efforts of the Black transgender community; 2) inform the public policy agenda implemented by NBJC by ensuring the inclusion of intersectional issues of racial justice, and gender identity and expression; and 3) help strengthen the Black family and community by creating safe space, and providing resources to encourage and facilitate what can sometimes be challenging conversations required to reduce stigma, eliminate bias and increase inclusion. The members of the Black Transgender Advisory Council are leaders of industry, stalwart advocates and activists who have committed themselves to the work of supporting the Black transgender community. The members of NBJC’s Inaugural Black Transgender Advisory Council are: